Man arrested for Kmart robberies; wrong man sought

Oak Ridge police searched for several days last week for a man they believed robbed the Big Kmart pharmacy at least twice.

by Beverly Majors/Staff

Oak Ridge police searched for several days last week for a man they believed robbed the Big Kmart pharmacy at least twice.

… But on Friday they arrested another man for the crimes.

Detectives arrested 34-year-old Devlin Seth Walker of Harriman on Friday night, but not in the areas where they had searched previously.

On March 6, Oak Ridge police officers had received information that the suspect in two robberies at Kmart was believed to be “hanging out” in the McKenzie Acres and Kareday apartment complexes. Police began searching for the suspect identified as 35-year-old Jeramiah Frederick Webb of Lancing.

Smith said officers identified Webb because of earlier visits to Kmart when he used the identification for purchases.

On Feb. 26, Walker, who officers thought was Webb, returned to the Kmart pharmacy, handed the clerk a hand-written note that read “Give me all your money and a bottle of Percoset or I will kill you,” police stated in reports.

The clerk gave Walker the money, but he allegedly went behind the counter and forced a pharmacist to open a locked cabinet where narcotics are store. He then reportedly stole four bottles of Oxycodone and fled.

Walker allegedly robbed the pharmacy again on March 5, but didn't get prescription medications on that date. Records said he handed the clerk a note that read “empty cash register! Get 500 Rocecets or Percocets or die. Any sudden moves u die! U got 15 seconds or I start killing.”

The clerk reportedly gave him money from the register, but told him the pharmacist was in the bathroom. He then fled the store, reports said.

After the second robbery, police intensified the search for a man they believed to be Webb. The Police Department released Webb’s name and description in a news release on March 6 and began going door-to-door at both apartment complexes.

Then, on Friday, Harriman police officers stopped Walker.

“He was acting suspicious,” Smith said. “He was still using the (Webb’s) identification so Harriman contacted us.”

Smith said area law enforcement agencies were aware ORPD was searching for Webb.

“He stole Webb’s driver’s license and some checks from the family,” Smith said.

Walker was brought to Oak Ridge, where he reportedly confessed to the two robberies. He was taken to the Anderson County jail, where he is being held on a $153,000 bond. He has a court hearing set for March 19.

Smith said other charges against Walker are pending the outcome of the investigation. He said Walker could also be facing charges in Morgan County, where he allegedly stole Webb’s license.